Man gets 32 years for brutal murder of ‘love rival’
UPINGTON - A 29-year-old Northern Cape man, Siphozonke Dingisweni, was handed a lengthy sentence for his crimes of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and assault by the Keimoes Regional Court on April 8.
Sergeant Omphile Masegela, a spokesperson for the SAPS in the ZF Mgcawu District, provided a chilling account of the events that unfolded on December 20, 2022.
On that fateful day, Dingisweni had persuaded Nelson Malumbo, a 33-year-old Zimbabwean national, to join him in the veld under the pretence of gathering his sheep. The two men left in Malumbo’s vehicle, but upon reaching the veld, Dingisweni launched a brutal attack on Malumbo, robbing him of his cellphone and inflicting multiple stab wounds to his chest.
Malumbo’s lifeless body was discovered in the veld the following day. Further investigations revealed that Dingisweni had also assaulted his girlfriend, whom he accused of having a relationship with the deceased.
Dingisweni was arrested on January 18, 2023, in Port Saint Johns in the Eastern Cape Province and remained in custody throughout his trial. The court sentenced him to 32 years’ imprisonment for the murder and robbery charges, and an additional six months for the assault on his girlfriend.
Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola, the provincial commissioner of the SAPS in the Northern Cape, welcomed the sentencing. She praised the efforts of the investigating officers, Warrant Officer William Mouers and Sergeant Anwor Titus, for their diligent work in bringing Dingisweni to justice.
